Where do I begin???

[demioblue]

Hi guys, I'd like to be able to record stuff at home and create my own backing tracks. I have a PC already, and my PODXTLive, but in terms of software? What do I use for drums? Bass? Do I need to buy a bass for recording? Or are there loops and softwares I can use?

[Mesotech]

With a PC at your disposal, there is a dizzying array of software you can choose from. It ranges from free to very expensive. Keep in mind that just because something may be very expensive doesn't mean it's required or even 'much' better than a lot of the free stuff.

Now, what you want to do will determine what you'll need. If you're planning on doing something 'creative', you'll most likely need some form of midi controler. This can be a really cheap keyboard that has midi in and out, or it could be something really fancy. It depends on what you want to do with it. If you don't play keyboards, then you'll most likely want to skip to the next paragraph. Even with a nomally cheap keyboard (~$100), you can download free VST plugins for many of the recording software packages to give you excessive amounts of sound options. I don't think the free version of Acid (mentioned above) supports VST's, but does let you use standard midi maps for the basic instrument tones. Even without a proper set of keys, you 'can' use your computer keyboard, but it's not very intuitive or even productive, but 'can' be done.

If you don't play keys, but still want to do some backing tracks, look into Band In A Box software. It's not excessively expensive, and is fairly good at allowing you creative control, without needing to know how to play every instrument. Coupled with the above mentions VST plugins, you can get some very convincing instrument emulation sounds.

Yes, there are loops that you can use with pretty much any recording software, drums, bass, ect... But, I've found them to be very generic, and as such, pretty useless for creative flexability. Your results may vary.

With the PodXT Live, you should already have some recording software, which is functional for laying down tracks of your own with drums and style patterns of accompanyment. I tend to find it cumbersome to use, but that's because I never spent much time with the software to learn it properly. I know others who swear by it, and still others that feel the same as I do about it.

In addition to the Line6 software bundled with your Pod, there are other recording packages you can play with. Some for free, others for not much money, and still others insanely expensive. My suggestion is to start cheap, figure out what your needs are, and then look for something better after you know more about what you're looking for. I've read that N-tracks has a free versoin (never tried it). I have Guitar Tracks, both the express version and the pro version. The express version will meet your needs for quite some time. I also purchased Cubase SX, a full featured package that supports a lot of things. It's probably overkill for what you'll need initially. One of my main gripes about the expensive packages is that there are so many options and features, that it can make learning them very daunting for a novice. If you begin with the free or low cost packages, you'll learn faster and make the transition to more expensive software easier once you reach the needs to warrant the expense.

I don't know what guitar pedals you happen to have, but if you own or have access to a Digitech Whammy or GNX3/4, you can emulate a bass guitar with your guitar.

[demioblue]

With the PodXT Live, you should already have some recording software, which is functional for laying down tracks of your own with drums and style patterns of accompanyment.

I do??? I don't recall seeing any recording software in my XTLive box. Anyways, I don't really want to use the XT live for recording, because the thing kind of kills sustain. I don't know why, but it hampers the sound your're trying to produce.

Maybe I should be clearer in asking what I want. I want a recording software which can allow me to program my own drum loops, and also bass loops much like how my old Technics K800 keyboard does. Now I don't have a keyboard anymore, and unless I absolutely necessarily need one, I don't want to buy one.

Maybe a midi interface might be useful for keys and bass, but I'd like the drums to be drap and drop according to time signatures. Is there such a thing?

Thanks in advance.

One mre question: how do I connect my stuff to the PC? Do I need a specific audio card with a special jack? or do I record the analog method by connecting my amp to the mic input of the PC?

[Mesotech]

Yes, you do (or should). It's called RiffWorks, and gets installed once you connect the Pod to the PC and use the Line6 update utility (Monkey) to download all of the appropriate software and service patches.

Riffworks includes a drum machine that's fairly easy to operate, with some versatility as well. It's not the best drum machine, but it's not bad.

FruityLoops is another drum machine type of program that will generate elaborate drum patterns, provided to spend the time to build them. You can export the loops as midi, or record them as audio into your recording software.

If you purchase Cakewalk's Guitar Tracks, it comes with a version of Drag And Drop drummer. A software package that obtains its loops or individual drum hits from an included CD library (in either audio or midi format). Using this package, you can build any drum track you want, one beat at a time, and adjust the timing to your specs without having to force a time signature. Though, doing it that way is not for the weak at heart (patience). There are over 300 audio and midi loops, and for the audio you can choose from 6 different tempos. It also has matching SoundFont files for use with SoundFont compatible sound cards (Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live, for example). Additionally, you can opt to purchase more D and D CD's with additional loops and kits (it comes with 3 kits by default (dry studio, rock, and hip hop)).

To connect your guitar to the PC, you can choose several different ways, with different levels of quality of course. You don't specifically NEED a special soundcard. By far the easiest way is to use the Pod. You can choose to go digital (through the USB into Riffworks or another recording program) or use audio by running the headphone out of the Pod into the Line In of the soundcard.

Another method would be to just plug your guitar (dry) into the Line In of the sound card, and use some amp simulator software (such as Amplitube, or Native Instruments Guitar Rig) to vary your amp/effects options after you've recorded your playing.

If you want to, you can purchase a DI box that will connect to your 'speaker out' of your amp and bring the audio into the PC via audio, USB, or Firewire (depending on the DI box you buy).

You could purchase a USB or Firewire interface such as M-Audio or the favored (also relatively expensive) MOTU (Mark Of The Unicorn) interface. These will allow you to do a direct connect, or actually connect up a mic in front of your amp. An advantage of this type of setup is you can typically record multiple instruments at once on individual tracks.

A little easier (less technical) method would be to obtain a small 4 or 6 channel mixer (I have a Behringer Xenyx 802). I use it to mic my speaker, and then run from the mains out of the mixer into the Line In on the computer. With this setup, I can record one or more instruments at the same time, but not on seperate tracks.

You don't have to be very sophisticated to get a decent guitar signal into the computer either. I've run from the headphone and/or Line Out of my amps that are equipped with either, into the Line In of the soundcard. I've also plugged my guitar into an effects pedal (such as a Digitech Bad Monkey) and from there into the Line In of the computer. I've even used a regular computer mic in a pinch (though the results were less than spectacular).

Just based on what you've already stated you have at your disposal, I'm sure you could get started pretty inexpensively and build up a variety of tools, software, and technique over time.

Of course, if you're more of a knob tweaker instead of a computer user, you could also opt for a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation, such as a Yamaha, or Korg), and record directly to it's hard drive, mix down and burn a CD (or transfer via USB/Firewire) to put on your computer.

Did I mention there are a dizzying array of options? :)

[demioblue]

wow... thanks man... At least I know now how to get started. I shold've asked this long ago. I'll try exploring the POD method first. If that sucks, then I'll go for Cakewalk.